Quran Desecration Figure Salwan Momika Shot Dead in Sweden; Five Arrested

On January 30, 2025, Salwan Momika, a 38-year-old Iraqi refugee known for publicly desecrating the Holy Quran in Sweden, was shot dead in a house in Södertälje, near Stockholm. At the time of the incident, Momika was reportedly live-streaming on TikTok; a video viewed by Reuters showed police ending a livestream believed to be from his account. Authorities have arrested five individuals in connection with the shooting, though it remains unclear if the shooter is among them. The Swedish Security Service is closely monitoring the situation due to potential implications for national security. Momika had previously faced legal proceedings for “agitation against an ethnic or national group” following his Quran desecrations, which had sparked significant outrage and elevated Sweden’s terrorism alert levels in 2023.